Simple Cooking

When it’s time to put logs in the fireplace, it’s also time to fire up a big pot of this chili, flavored with lots of cumin and brightened with lemon juice.

Fragrant herbs, tart fresh lemon juice, and a bit of dry mustard flavor these moist broiled sole fillets.

This intensely flavored entrée is ready in less than 15 minutes. Try it with Zesty Oven-Fried Potatoes (page 250) and stewed okra.

A citrusy aroma will fill your kitchen as fish fillets and a variety of vegetables bake in foil packets. Spoon on the sauce and enjoy!

Oregano, shallots, and lemon juice enhance the vegetables in this barley-based dish. You can replace the chard with other greens, such as spinach, turnip greens, or collard greens, if you prefer, adjusting the cooking time as needed.

Just a bit of Worcestershire is all it takes to give zing to this side dish.

No potluck meal or barbecue is complete without baked beans. These cook for a long time but need very little attention. The result is well worth the wait.

This pairing of two all-time favorite vegetables is simple but colorful.

Sprinkle, bake, and serve—any easier and it wouldn’t be called cooking!

Garnet-colored beets topped with a reduction of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, then sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar walnuts, are a great complement to dishes such as Tarragon Turkey Medallions (page 161) or a simple roasted pork tenderloin.

Fresh salmon with fresh herbs and lemon—a stellar combination. If you prefer your fish with sauce, this entrée is also great topped with Pineapple-Kiwi Salsa (page 270).

The flavors of the fennel and caramelized onion make this unusual dish a standout.

Roasting brings out the best flavor in both the broccoli florets and the onion slices in this side dish.

A mildly spicy, citrus-tinged sour cream sauce tops these baked salmon fillets. The ground chipotle adds just a hint of smokiness.

Enjoy a combination of nutritious vegetables and a whole grain all in one easy side dish. It goes equally well with Broiled Sirloin with Chile-Roasted Onions (page 176), Herb Chicken with Panko-Pecan Crust (page 148), or Wine-Poached Salmon (page 109).

Want a tasty new way to get vegetables into your diet? Try this eggplant and tomato side dish, which gets a flavor burst from chili powder and fresh cilantro.

This fresh salmon dish, which gets its distinctive flavor from a hint of cloves, is so quick and easy that it will become an on-the-go favorite. For a change of taste, try topping the salmon with Yogurt Dill Sauce (page 263).

Wrapping each person’s dinner individually in cooking parchment, or en papillote (en pah-pee-YOHT or PAH-peh-loht), gives the meal a special touch.

Be sure to use regular-size carrots, not baby carrots, for the proper sweetness and moisture in this delicate, lighter substitute for mashed sweet potatoes.

Here’s the answer to what to do with cauliflower besides covering it with cheese sauce. Serve this alternative with Pork Chops with Herb Rub (page 196) and cinnamon applesauce.